Spring 2013

Evaluating Social Policy

Listed in: Economics, as ECON-416

Formerly listed as: ECON-64

Faculty

Jessica Wolpaw Reyes (Section 01)

Description

This is an upper-level seminar in social policy which examines a number of social programs in the United States, including Medicaid, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and Temporary Aid to Needy Families. The seminar will introduce you to the operation of these programs and will teach you how to use economic and econometric tools to evaluate them.  Most of the course will be devoted to close reading and discussion of research papers, including discussion of the relative merits of various empirical and econometric techniques.  Students will be asked to participate actively in class discussion, to make oral presentations, to evaluate empirical data, and to write analytical papers.  Throughout the course, we will think broadly about the goals of social policy, always keeping the canonical tradeoff between efficiency and equity at the forefront.  We will also consider the practical challenges faced not only by policymakers in designing effective policies but also by scholars in evaluating the effectiveness of those policies.

Requisite: Microeconomics (ECON 300/301) and Econometrics (ECON 360/361). Limited to 15 students. Spring semester. Professor Reyes.

If Overenrolled: Students will be asked to write a paragraph indicating their academic background and reasons for wanting to take the course, and the class will be selected to achieve a diverse group. Preference will be given to junior and senior econ majors.

Cost: $120 ?

ECON 416 - L/D

Section 01
Tu 10:00 AM - 11:20 AM CONV 308
Th 10:00 AM - 11:20 AM CONV 308

Offerings

Other years: Offered in Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2015, Fall 2022, Fall 2024